Sunday Brunch
by CallMeAddicted
Summary: Blair and Serena have their first fight as a new couple over Sunday brunch, thanks to Lily...and also Serena...


_**Hello, thanks for joining me in Serena/Blair world! Hope you enjoy! Please review, fav and follow!**_

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Though she hadn't confronted her mother about it yet, Serena had noticed the hostile side-eyes Lily had been shooting in Blair's direction all morning. Serena noticed, Lily knew Serena knew, and Blair for some out-of-character reason had also caught on but chosen to let it go. Lily had never been fond of Blair, everyone knew that. And so, when Blair had walked demurely into the penthouse holding Serena's hand, she had immediately become the target of Lily's ire.

It was a rare morning when all the Humphrey-van der Woodsens were in the city, and Lily and Rufus had summoned all the children home for Sunday morning brunch. Jenny arrived, uncharacteristically kind to everyone; Eric brought some random guy he'd been seeing for all of three days; and Serena called Blair that morning to ask if she would accompany her so she wouldn't have to be tortured by Dan's relentless attempts at getting back together. Of course, Blair said yes—she would never say 'no' to Serena, especially when the blonde made promises of back massages and glittery gifts. However, being together around their families was still rather sensitive, as the women had not officially come out as a couple. Blair wanted to tell everyone. Serena just thought it was a little too soon and wanted to keep it to themselves a bit longer before inviting their friends and families and Gossip Girl into their private lives. But seeing the disdain in Lily's eyes when Blair made her a plate of breakfast foods and placed it in front of her at the table convinced Serena of one thing: Lily knew.

Lily must have known there was something going on between Blair and her because she looked as though she would jump across the table at Blair and strangle her. She felt badly for bringing her secret girlfriend to brunch this morning and she wanted to take some of the heat off Blair, so Serena engaged Lily in conversation.

"So Mom, did you reach Nirvana on your spa vacation in the Maldives?" she grinned as she took a sip of her perfectly mixed mimosa.

"It was nice," Lily replied. "Though I completely fell from Nirvana the second I arrived back in New York and turned on my phone…"

The occupants of the breakfast table were quiet. It would appear they all knew something because no one would look up from their plates, and so Lily, Blair and Serena were engaged in some sort of stand-off.

"What did you find out when you turned on your phone?" Serena bravely asked, though deep down, she knew that Lily knew.

Rather than reply to her daughter, Lily turned her head in Blair's direction and asked her flat out, "Blair, are you and Serena dating?"

Both Blair and Serena were stunned by her bluntness, though why should they be? There was a moment of silence where Blair looked to Serena and Serena looked to Blair, but somehow, they seemed to have read different vibes off each other. They replied at the same time.

"Yes, Lily…"

"No!" the blonde blurted. She regretted it the second it came out of her mouth. Blair looked at her; she was hurt, and Serena could see it. But the worst part was that Blair didn't seem surprised by Serena's response, just majorly disappointed.

"Hmm," was all Lily had to offer in response.

"Mom, can we talk privately?"

"I'm not sure what there is to say. You've made it clear that you're not dating Blair."

"This isn't a conversation to have in front of the whole family," Serena's voice wavered.

"Fine, Serena, let's go talk." The older woman placed her glass on the table and wiped the edge of her mouth before standing up from the table. She headed toward the back of the penthouse, followed by the younger blonde.

The remaining occupants of the table awkwardly regarded Blair and attempted to carry on with their meals, but it was hard to ignore the heated exchange of words coming from one of the bedrooms. The women weren't as subtle as they must have thought they were.

_"What I can't understand is how you thought you could bring that girl in here holding your hand and fawning all over you and I wouldn't notice. If you'd attended Brown like I wanted you to, your sense of foresight would be more up to par."_

_ "You're just mad because this is yet another aspect of my life you can't control," Serena yelled. "Of all people, you have no right to tell me who I should or shouldn't date."_

_ "So then, you admit that you are dating her?" Lily asked?_

_ "What is this even about, Mom?" she avoided the question. "Do you not want me to be with a woman?"_

_ "Don't be overdramatic, Serena. Your brother is gay, and I have no problem with that. I do have a huge problem with you dating Blair Waldorf. You have boys and girls falling at your feet and you bring home Blair. Honey, you can do so much better."_

_ "Why do you hate Blair so much?" she asked. The unshed tears choked her up a bit. "I've done so many things in my life to disappoint you but why is this so hard for you to accept?"_

_ "Blair is self-destructive. She looks out for herself and no one else. She's not able to be a good partner to anyone because she's a spoiled, selfish brat and will use you to get what and where she wants. And when there's nothing for left for her to gain, she'll move on to her next victim. All that girl knows how to do is scheme and destroy. Is that what you want for yourself, Serena? Because I don't want that for you."_

_ Serena didn't immediately answer. She knew there was no changing her mother's opinion. Lily was one of those people you'd have to prove wrong. "Thanks for breakfast. We'll be going now," she stomped back out to the main dining area._

"Blair, we're leaving." After she wiped a stray tear, Serena looked up and realized her girlfriend was no longer at the table. She was no longer in the apartment. Jenny told her Blair had run out just before she came back.

They had walked to the penthouse, so Serena thought the brunette couldn't have gotten too far. She grabbed her coat from the front closet and ran out after the girl. This was definitely not how she'd imagined this day going.

When the blonde got outside the building, it was just in time to see a yellow taxi stop in front of Blair and take off into traffic with her secret girlfriend inside. As the taxi passed in front of Serena, she saw Blair wiping away tears and felt her own heart break. The things her mother said about Blair were literally all the shorter woman's insecurities about herself. Blair once told her how she knew she'd done horrible things to people and knew she made poor choices, but she also acknowledged that she was not exactly taught how to be a kind, compassionate person who made good life choices. Her parents lacked those traits and then pretty much left Blair to raise herself. It's not that she'd made excuses for her past behavior, but she was still trying to catch up to the average person whose parents taught them that they didn't have to lie, hurt and scheme to get attention. Blair really was growing and changing every day. Serena saw that and loved each incarnation of Blair that resulted from the "bug fixes."

Now, more than ever, Serena wanted to tell the world that she loved Blair Waldorf. She wanted everyone to know that Blair was worth loving and that _she_ is the lucky one in this relationship. She had to find her girlfriend but was sure the last place an emotionally hurt Blair would go was home. Serena thought for a moment before hailing a taxi. One immediately stopped for her and she slid in the back seat.

"Hey, 90th and 5th, please. Thanks." Serena slammed the taxi door shut and almost fell over as the driver roughly pulled out into the street. She sent a text to Blair, hoping the brunette would reply.

**_'I'm really sorry you heard all that. Please call me. I'm in a taxi looking for you. Heading over to that café on 90_****_th_****_ you like hoping you'll be there. I love you.'_**

A few minutes of staring out of the windows hoping somehow to catch a glimpse of Blair, Serena's phone lit up with an incoming text.

_'I'll be there.'_

She smiled brightly. Right now, Serena just wanted to hug her girlfriend and tell how she loves her, tell her she realizes now that they don't need to hide their relationship, and that anyone wants to be in their business, then let them see what true love looks like. When the driver arrived on the corner of the café, Serena paid, jumping out before he could even give change.

Her bright disposition dimmed when she walked in to find Blair leaning her back against the counter flirting egregiously with some random guy, hair twirling and all.

"Blair," she announced herself and walked over.

"Oh hey, Serena, this is Phillip. We just met. He's got great sense of style, hasn't he?"

The man ignored Serena's presence, smiling at Blair. He leaned closer into Blair and asked, "Maybe we could meet for dinner soon? I'd love to get your opinion on a few more of my ties."

"No, she's indefinitely unavailable," Serena jumped in. "Blair, I'm going to get a table. Come join me when you're done."

She walked off toward an empty table at the back by the window. She heard Blair tell this Phillip guy to have a nice day followed by the distinct rhythm of the brunette's footsteps in three-inch heels.

When Blair sat down opposite to her, Serena took her hand and caressed it gently. She was a little ticked off with the Phillip thing, but knew that Blair was just reacting in her Blair way.

"Baby, I'm sorry about earlier with my mother. I told her we weren't dating because I thought we'd agreed to keep it our secret until we were ready."

"That is true, we agreed not to tell anyone in order to maintain some semblance of privacy, but we never discussed what we'd say if anyone found out. For you to flat out deny it just tells me that you're ashamed to be with me."

Serena sighed at Blair's attempt to use guilt on her. She really wasn't ashamed; she'd just thought that it would be easier to reveal their relationship on their own terms and not under duress. But how was she going to get Blair to see it her way when Blair was already so far down the rabbit hole of melodrama and despair?

"I just think that maybe we should take a break," Blair continued. "If you need time to think about whether you want to be with me, then I guess that's okay. I just don't want to hold you back."

"Oh my God," the blonde rolled her eyes.

"Serena, I'm serious."

"Do you have to be so dramatic? I made a mistake. Can we move on now?"

The brunette looked at her; it was the first time she'd looked directly at Serena since earlier this morning. The sternness Serena saw in Blair's gaze stunned her. She looked…_serious._

Blair cleared her throat before speaking again. "And I thought I couldn't feel any worse than I did this morning…"

"I'm sorry, B…"

"The reason I question whether you're ready to be with me is because you always leave me hanging. We get into an argument, you leave. Life gets a little dramatic, you run away. When I try to talk to you and tell you how I'm feeling, you dismiss me and ignore the fact that _you_ are the one who hurt me. You think I'm being melodramatic right now, don't you?"

"No," she stumbled over her words, "I mean, yeah, I did but you're right, I'm being an ass to you and I'm sorry. I just thought you were doing that Blair thing you do when you over-dramatize and make sure everyone knows you're angry."

"I'm not angry."

"You're hurt, I know."

"How do you know?! You would never know how I feel because I would never do to you what you did to me. If my mother talked about you the way yours talked about me, I would defend you, fiercely. Fortunately for you, I wouldn't leave you hanging so how do you know what I'm feeling? Honestly, Serena, I think we should just take a break and think about what we want." Without leaving time for the other woman to respond, Blair got up from the table and exited the cafe.

"I _do_ know," Serena said, following her girlfriend out of the café and grabbing her by the arm. "As soon as I'd realized you'd left the penthouse I knew how hurt you must have been because I felt this stab in my chest. But I knew it wasn't _me_ feeling it, I thought it must be how you were feeling in the moment. It hurts me when you're hurt, so I know what you're feeling, Blair. I never said I would be the perfect girlfriend. I'm a screw up, everyone knows that! And it's not an excuse, but if you give me a chance, I know I can do better. I'm always going to screw up in some way, I just don't have it in me to me what you deserve, because honestly B, you deserve your picture-perfect _Princess_ Charming, and I'm not that. But I love you, so much, and I promise to be less of an ass."

Serena wasn't sure where she stood at that moment, but Blair was still standing in front of her, so that was promising. It was a long moment before Blair spoke – well not exactly spoke, but sighed and nodded her head in concession.

"You forgive me?" Serena asked.

"Maybe…" Blair replied. "On one condition."

"Yes."

"I'm not impressed just because you're willing to give me whatever I want; at least listen to the condition first."

"Fine, what is it?"

"I want you to serve me breakfast in bed every day this week, naked."

"That's it? Baby, I will gladly serve you naked anytime."

"I know you will," Blair shifted closer to Serena and tipped her head up. Serena immediately took the hint and pulled her girlfriend closer and crashed their lips together. She relished in the stares and cat-calls they received from random on-lookers.

"Since we didn't really get to finish breakfast this morning, let's go home so I can begin my week's servitude."

Blair laughed wickedly in response and Serena let the lovely sound wash over her. Her mind immediately began formulating a plan for proposing to Blair, because there was no way she wasn't locking that down.


End file.
